The Judges
Chris Bomely
Creative Director for The Chive
Chris Bomely was born and raised in the Golden state of California, but has called Austin Texas home for quite some time. Not long enough to call himself a local, but long enough to know where the best dive bars, breakfast tacos and burgers are.
Having worked at a handful of the top ad agencies in Austin and a decent stint as a freelancer, he decided it was time to use what he learned and use his powers for a greater good, and work at probably the best job in the world, The Chive.
From that old dude how to fight by paintin’ that stupid fence, and waxing that big ‘ol car, and doing those lame ass chores around his house while that dude got all drunk and cried about the war and slept. Then he got the chance to fight that douchebag Johnny, and he realized that the whole time, he was learning, training for that moment. And he kicks ‘em in that stupid pretty boy face and wins, and gets the girl!
Yeah, it's kinda like that.
Derek Ring
Illustartor at AbnormalBrain
Officially an illustrator, but as most freelance work goes, you end up being so much more. I'm often called upon to do as much art direction and design as anything else. This comes in handy when I'm called upon to create design and illustration that harmonize for a current use, as well a s planning for any potential future evolutions of a project.
My focus is often toward the teen-juvenile market. I love designing skateboards, t-shirts, silkscreened posters, toys and package design, but I've also been known to create infographics, medical illustration, logos, copy, branding, and even costume & character design. It all happens in this little home office.
My active client roster includes LEGO (Master Builder Academy, and LEGO Club Magazine), Worcester Restaurant Group, Pitini Enterprises, and Looney Labs, maker of the Fluxx card games.
Kirsten Modestow
Creative Director at BRIGADE
Kirsten Modestow is in her ninth year as Creative Director at BRIGADE. In that time, she’s helped her creative team navigate national and international assignments and produce awardwinning work. Under Kirsten, BRIGADE has won 2 Effies for SVEDKA Vodka, Addies for their work on Own Skincare, Foodzie, and a Gold for the YesTo guerilla campaign. Their packaging for Black Birch, San Franola Granola and Burgerville has been featured on The Dieline – the Burgerville work was named top 100 designs of 2012 (#51).
Prior to BRIGADE, Kirsten’s work on Electronic Arts, one of the largest brands in the entertainment industry, helped to gain her national recognition. Kirsten was the leading force behind the advertising for The Sims – advertising that helped to make it the #1 best selling PC game of all-time and a household name.
Kirsten’s agency experience stretches from San Francisco to Boston and includes Hill Holiday, AKQA, See:, Odiorne Wilde Narraway + Partners and BRIGADE. She’s created memorable campaigns for brands including Target Stores, CMT Networks, Dunkin Donuts, Electronic Arts, SVEDKA Vodka, Burgerville, YesTo and most recently, Kim Crawford.
As a former All-American swimmer, Kirsten thrives on intense situations, including tight timelines, working with celebrity talent, demanding clients, renovating houses, and controlling (with varying degrees of success) a giant dog and husband and two not-so-giant-yet children.
Lisa Kelsey
Art Director, Family Circle at Meredith Corporation
Although I started my career in book design and promotional materials, the bulk of my experience has been with magazines. This suits me well, since I am a confirmed magazine addict and subscribe to over 20 publications, supplementing those with an occasional newsstand purchase. I am constantly on the lookout for new talent in illustration, infographic arts and photography.
Mark Hess
Hess Design Works
I have been drawing and painting and designing and building things and changing my environment for as long as I can remember. My father instilled in me a love of work, a love of art, a love of people and a creative curiosity that has always pushed me to discover new techniques and to delve into various disciplines. I’ve been a rodeo bull rider, an award winning illustrator, high end restaurant graphics designer (NYC, Las Vegas & Palm Beach), packaging designer, website marketer and designer, business creator, landscape designer, but at my core, and always most importantly, a portrait painter.